Dani Pedrosa celebrates his Donington Park win

Rossi, riding with a fractured wrist, started 12th on the grid but held off fellow Italian Melandri, who was also less than 100% fit going into the race.

Championship leader Nicky Hayden, Pedrosa's Repsol Honda team-mate, finished back in seventh place.

Great Britain's James Ellison was down in 14th place in his home grand prix.

Melandri, who started third on the grid, challenged Pedrosa in the early stages before the Spaniard broke clear.

Despite a wobble on lap five, Pedrosa rarely looked back.

It is like a victory Valentino Rossi

"It was overall a fantastic weekend, it is a perfect result," said Pedrosa, who as well as winning the race from pole also set a new lap record.

Pedrosa's winning margin was 3.864 seconds, his victory cutting Hayden's championship lead to 26 points.

Rossi also made up ground on Hayden and was delighted given his poor placing on the grid and his injury problems.

"It is like a victory," he said. "After Assen, I made a 100% effort to come here in good shape. I did a lot of training and treatment for the wrist.

"In fact, the wrist was not so bad. I don't have the maximum power but the pain is better. We just struggled too much with the bike during practice."

We'll regroup now, think about what didn�t go so well this weekend, and try to do better at the Sachsenring Nicky Hayden

Hayden added: "It's been a tough weekend and things didn't quite go for us here.

"I was coming through the field and making up some places when I made a mistake, got into the chicane bit hot and went straight on.

"That hurt, but I got back on the track, put my head down and clawed back a few places.

"We'll regroup now, think about what didn't go so well this weekend, and try to do better at the Sachsenring."